Rachael Elhart Email & Phone Number

I am a student at the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce this Fall. I am pursuing my bachelor's in commerce with a concentration in finance, alongside tracks in real estate and quantitative finance, with a minor in data science. Given the historic shifts in the housing market and the prevailing economic challenges, I am committed to becoming an expert in my field and sharing my knowledge to enhance financial literacy among those facing difficulties.In addition to my academics, I bring over seven years of experience as a coach, working with children and adults. I encourage teamwork within a collaborative environment, one aspect of my life I aim to continue integrating into my post-college initiatives.In my work as the Programs and Operations Specialist at the Community Investment Collaborative, I have found a passion for helping small business owners in the Charlottesville Community. The $50,000 I helped secure for small businesses helped them grow by hiring new employees, investing in capital equipment, and maintaining insurance for business continuity when a supplier backed out of a contract. The resource fair I organized successfully connected over 20 small business owners with our expert resources, resulting in dozens of mentoring and consultation appointments and boosting enrollment in our graduate entrepreneur workshop. My analysis and presentation of data from the Microgrant Feedback Project have provided valuable insights into small businesses' utilization of micro and emergency loans.